Getting Started
Upon waking for the first time, on Timber Hearth, you face the night sky, looking up at the top of the Launch Tower. A small outpost orbits around Giant's Deep, a large green planet in your direct line of sight. You see a blue explosion caused by a bright blue projectile, and suddenly the outpost is in pieces. Nearby, a fellow explorer named Slate roasts a marshmallow over a campfire. Here, you can practice speaking to the various inhabitants on the planet, all of which will express excitement that this is your "launch day;" the first time you will explore the galaxy on your own. Slate will tell you that before you can leave, however, you need to go to the Observatory to obtain launch codes before you can disembark. The launch codes activate the Launch Tower that you'll use to ride up to your ship. You can also pick up a marshmallow and practice roasting one yourself, then eat it. Extending the stick over the fire will roast the marshmallow after several seconds, but placing it too close will set it on fire. Either way, eating marshmallows doesn't appear to provide any benefits. Speak to the Inhabitants, Both On and Off the World Before you set off to explore the galaxy, traverse your home planet and speak to the locals, blissfully unaware of the horror that awaits them. These serve as your tutorial; Gneiss will explain the basics of your Signalscope, which you can use to listen to the sounds of the solar system (see below). Galena and Tephra will then demonstrate the Signalscope via a brief game of Hide-and-Seek; the two will run and hide, and you must use the Signalscope to track them down (they are only kids, so they aren't very far away). Arkose will explain the basics of ghost matter, an invisible gas that will burn you to death. You can use the Scout Launcher to detect ghost matter by sending off a scout. Mica has just perfected his miniature model of a space ship, which he'll let you pilot down to three makeshift landing pads below. Gossan waits at the entrance of the "Zero-G" cave. He will explain how a satellite needs repairing deep in the cave, but must be done so while navigating in zero gravity. You will need the space suit for this activity, which can only be found on your ship. Once you’ve spoken to everyone, head to the Observatory. Take time to read all the descriptions and look at the exhibits. On your first visit, most of these wont make sense out of their context, but you can come back to the museum at any time. Your translator can be used on the gray stone slab with blue geometric patterns painted onto it. These serve as the Nomai’s written language, samples of which are found throughout the game. The Signalscope is also useful here for listening to the strange blue “museum shard” found in a room by itself. Other mechanics of the game, including the blue glowing “gravity crystal,” are demonstrated here, and on the very top floor is a working map of the solar system. Finally, obtain the Launch Codes from Hornfels. He and Hal stand gazing at a beautiful white stone Nomai statue head. Once you have the codes, the statue's eyes will open, and a cut scene will activate. During this, you will see flashes of “memories” that you experienced in the last 20 minutes or so. Make your way back down the hill to where Slate was roasting marshmallows. Enter the small lift using the launch codes, and you will be taken up to your ship. Take a minute to look around. The ship is tiny, but there are several useful items here. A space suit hangs on a wall, which when equipped will enable your turbo boosters. You will have an oxygen tank with limited oxygen (this can be refilled onboard the ship, or by finding trees). The turbo boosters use fuel fast, but this can also be refilled onboard (via a tank on the wall, or by finding the odd fuel tank.) If you are injured, the option to use a bandage will also appear. Finding Those Off World. As Gneiss explains during your conversation with him, several fellow explorers are actually off world, either by choice or by being stranded, and at least one is missing. The Signalscope, besides bringing you the undecipherable noises around the solar system, can also be used to locate the various astronauts, because each one plays music (apparently constantly). All of these explorers are located at camps with trees to refill your oxygen tank.